Linebacker Shayne Skov back from surgery

Updated 11:29 pm, Sunday, August 5, 2012

Inside linebacker Shayne Skov runs defensive drills during the Cardinal's first practice of the season. "Got a long ways to go" physically, Skov says.

Inside linebacker Shayne Skov runs defensive drills during the Cardinal's first practice of the season. "Got a long ways to go" physically, Skov says.

Photo: John Sebastian Russo, Special To The Chronicle

Linebacker Shayne Skov back from surgery

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Sporting his familiar Mohawk, Shayne Skovlooked "like the old Shayne" in his first Stanford practice in nearly 11 months, coach David Shawsaid Sunday.

The fiery inside linebacker is "maybe not quite as explosive as before, but he looked good," Shaw said.

Skov said, "I'm not where I want to be physically. Got a long ways to go." He said it was "tremendous" to return to "a game that I love and have an extreme passion for. I'm ecstatic to be out here with my teammates again. ... I felt like I let those guys down."

Skov was cleared for full participation after recovering from a major knee injury that shelved him early in the 2011 season. He won't play the Aug. 31 opener against San Jose State as part of his penalty for a DUI in January.

The digital playbook: Stanford is the first school in college football to use iPad playbooks, following the lead of five NFL teams. Every player and coach was given an iPad outfitted with a digital playbook powered by the Denver-based firm PlayerLync.

Part of the reason - on the campus of The Tree - was to save trees. "Over the long haul, it's cost-effective," Shaw said, "as opposed to making and destroying playbook after playbook. It's eco-friendly, as far as all the trees you (used to) go through. We can make a change and instantly update it on everybody's iPad."

How much did it cost to outfit 121 players and about 20 coaches and staff members? "Less than you think," Shaw said. "We got an outstanding deal. The product is phenomenal. It sped up everything that we do."

What if some Cal techie hacks into it? "It's unhackable," he said.

Meinken out: Backup fullback Geoff Meinken, who injured his knee in the spring game, wasn't on hand Sunday and may not play until midseason, Shaw said.